The Portland State men’s basketball team should be happy to have a little consistency this week after last week’s ups and downs. They lost senior forward Phil Nelson to injury but managed to win their first road game in seven attempts, meaning the Vikings experienced a full range of emotions.
Portland State (9–12, 4–5 Big Sky) heads to Sacramento today, and their weekend schedule looks to be on a more even keel than last weekend’s. However, the Hornets (8–15, 2–8 Big Sky) have played better basketball as of late, so the Vikings will be tested early and often.
Led by junior guard Sultan Toles-Bey on the outside and senior center Justin Eller on the inside, the Hornets have the personnel to be a good team. They ended a five-game losing streak with a win over Idaho State last weekend, and that should provide them with enough energy to give the Viks a run for their money.
Portland State also comes off a big road win against Eastern Washington, so they should be motivated to build on their recent success and gain momentum before heading into postseason play.
After senior forward Jamie Jones’ huge game against the Eagles, look for him to be the go-to guy tonight. Also look for junior guard Melvin Jones and senior guard Dominic Waters to take plenty of shots from downtown, considering both are shooting over .400 from outside the arc.
After the long four-game road trip, the Viks will be happy to come home and face Seattle University on Sunday. Portland State has only played the Red Hawks 11 times, and the Viks own the series of late—they’ve won the last three games and have never been bested by Seattle in the Park Blocks.
Despite Portland State’s clear mental edge, they will have to contend with a Red Hawks squad that is led by the likely NBA-bound forward Charles Garcia. Standing at 6 foot 10, Garcia will be the tallest guy on the court and should test the Vikings all day under the hoop.
It’ll be a good game either way, and this will be a chance for Portland State’s big men to display their skills against a highly touted big man—a matchup that NBA scouts may be in attendance for this Sunday. Winning both games will go a long way to reclaim some of the glory the Vikings have enjoyed over the last two years.
Tip-off against Sacramento State is at 7 p.m. tonight and tip-off against Seattle University is scheduled for noon on Sunday. Both games can be heard on 800 AM, KPDQ.
Portland State’s probable starting lineup
Name Pos. Ht. Yr.
Dominic Waters G 6–1 Sr.
Melvin Jones G 5–10 Jr.
Paul Guede F 6–5 Jr.
Julius Thomas F 6–5 Sr.
Jamie Jones F 6–7 Sr.